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Whoever is free drives the forklift and nothing is written down. Then HSE or a fleet customer asks who is trained on the lift, the grinder and the truck. PHW assesses your people on your own site and machines, and gives you the answer on the day.
A worker was inside an HGV trailer for a brake test when an untrained forklift operator nudged a stack of concrete blocks, and the worker's leg was amputated. The film shows what HSE or a fleet customer asks next, and how on-site assessment gives you the answer.
Open the film on its own page, with the words written out underneath.
Up to four of your people assessed for competence in one day, on your own site and machines, with minimum downtime. Plus a written safe-system pack for each topic.
The owner of a garage, tyre bay, MOT station, bodyshop or commercial vehicle workshop. A handful of staff, a lift or two, a grinder, a forklift for the heavy parts, and a fleet customer or an auditor who can ask for proof.
People work under a raised vehicle. The lift has to be examined, and whoever raises a vehicle has to know the lift.
Where whoever is free drives the truck, untrained drivers end up on it. The operators need to be trained and authorised.
Cutting and grinding discs used on brakes, exhausts and bodywork are a recognised cause of serious injury when mounted or used incorrectly.
Brake dust, degreasers, solvents and cleaning chemicals used daily in a workshop fall under COSHH, with exposure controlled and, where needed, monitored.
Impact wrenches, grinders and other power tools used for extended periods build up a cumulative vibration exposure across a working week.
Parts, tyres and batteries moved by hand, and electrical work on vehicles and workshop equipment, each carry their own separate duty.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, regulation 9, require that everyone who uses work equipment, and their supervisors and managers, has received adequate training for health and safety. That covers the grinder, the lift and the forklift.
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 cover lifting equipment, including vehicle lifts. Regulation 9 requires thorough examination of that equipment.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 cover brake dust, solvents and cleaning chemicals used in vehicle repair.
The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 set exposure action and limit values for hand-arm vibration from power tools.
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 cover parts, tyres and batteries moved by hand.
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 apply to electrical work on vehicles and workshop equipment.
The employer decides who is authorised to use each machine. PHW's certificates, records and packs are the evidence behind that decision.
The evidence trail HSE, a fleet customer or an auditor can check.
Tell us the machines, the pack, and the numbers, and we will come back with a quote and dates.
Get a quoteHSE prosecutions in this line of work.
£30,000 + £4,325 costs · 2026-04-15
An untrained forklift operator nudged a stack of one-tonne concrete blocks onto a worker's legs, resulting in a foot and leg amputation.
Read the case →£10,000 + £3,476 costs · 2026-01-27
A one-tonne JCB bucket propping up a raised tipper body dislodged and fell on a worker, causing multiple fractures.
Read the case →